Injuries of foster child are detailed

Doctors say it's clear case of shaken baby syndrome

STOCKTON - Doctors and medical personnel who have examined a critically injured 11-month-old Stockton foster child believe the baby is the victim of "a clear-cut case of shaken baby syndrome" according to a search warrant affidavit from April 22.

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By Keith Reid

recordnet.com

By Keith Reid

Posted Apr. 26, 2014 at 12:01 AM

By Keith Reid

Posted Apr. 26, 2014 at 12:01 AM

» Social News

STOCKTON - Doctors and medical personnel who have examined a critically injured 11-month-old Stockton foster child believe the baby is the victim of "a clear-cut case of shaken baby syndrome" according to a search warrant affidavit from April 22.

Paul Teldeschi, 37, is in county jail on multiple child abuse charges after his foster daughter suffered cardiac arrest on March 30 in his Cleveland Street home. According to the affidavit, Teldeschi was home alone and placed the child in a swing so he could begin preparing dinner. The baby, suffering from bleeding on the brain, suddenly vomited, and went into cardiac arrest. Teldeschi administered CPR and called 911.

The baby, identified in the affidavit as Prinsess, was later airlifted to Oakland Children's Hospital, where doctors found she also suffered from 13 broken ribs that they believe were caused seven to 10 days prior to the cardiac arrest, a broken clavicle and a traumatic spinal injury "like the victim had been bent in half."

Doctors told police the "amount of force needed to see these types of injuries might be seen in a vehicle accident," but that there hadn't been a crash, the affidavit states. One doctor told police he believed the child was the victim of at least two violent attacks.

The brain bleeding, doctors say consistently throughout the detective's report in the affidavit, was caused by shaking. In shaken baby cases, injuries are found all around the brain. If it were blunt force trauma, the injury would have only been in one area, the report explains.

A doctor who examined Prinsess also told police that the bleeding on the brain had to have occurred just prior to the 911 call, because there was a lack of symptoms reported by the foster parents and family members who had watched the children on a couple of occasions.

In early April, and prior to Paul Teldeschi's arrest, Child Protective Services removed three other children from the Teldeschi home - one foster child and two biological children of Paul and Christine Teldeschi. The children were each given medical exams and X-rays.

According to the affidavit, the second foster child and the Teldeschis' biological daughter showed no signs of injury. The Teldeschis' 1-year-old son, however, did have a broken arm and broken finger and neither had been medically treated. A CPS nurse told police that the type of fracture the boy suffered "was common in childhood and not necessarily indicative of child abuse."

The affidavit states that Christine Teldeschi, who is employed by The Record, has continued to cooperate with police in their investigation. Christine Teldeschi, who said she has filed for divorce, had expressed concerns with doctors that Prinsess had some developmental delays and was seeking physical therapy services for her, according to the affidavit.

Over the few months that the Teldeschis had the foster children in their home, Paul Teldeschi was the primary caregiver. He was not employed. During early intervention sessions with the child for developmental disabilities, one social worker told police Paul Teldeschi was "creepy" and "when one of the children dropped something, he would pick it up and then slammed it when he gave it back to the child. There was also a time when the brother was crying and Paul got in his face and told him to 'knock it off,' " according to the affidavit. The social worker thought the behavior was "more than simply being firm," the affidavit said.

The affidavit mentions two instances when Prinsess was dropped, but neither appeared harmful. Once, Christine Teldeschi said she stumbled and fell while holding the child. Prinsess didn't appear injured and was consoled easily. A second time was when the early intervention teacher dropped the child about five inches off the ground.

Prinsess is still in critical condition at the Oakland Children's Hospital. Doctors do not expect her to survive. Paul Teldeschi is expected to appear in San Joaquin County Superior court for arraignment Tuesday.

Contact reporter Keith Reid at (209) 546-8257 or kreid@recordnet.com. Follow him at recordnet.com/edublog and on Twitter @KReidme.